UK launch for world’s first road-based energy recovery system

Developed over the last five years by London-based ROUUTE, the E:GEN is a new source of sustainable energy comprised of a patented road energy recovery system.

Before E:GEN can get to work, a road-based system (RBS) system captures compression energy generated by vehicles as they drive over the road surface. The RBS absorbs the energy through a hydraulic based system, which is then converted into electrical energy through E:GEN.

Antony Edmondson-Bennett, co-founder and CEO of ROUUTE, explained that the energy is stored in batteries within the E:GEN and then distributed to wherever it is needed, which could include instant distribution within a facility, stored in batteries for later use, sold back to the grid - if connected - or a mobile battery unit to act as a generator.

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“As standard, the system comes with three RBS in a row, 800mm apart – optimised for HGVs,” said Edmondson-Bennett. “However more RBS’s can be added on to increase power generated.”

The RBS has been designed to withstand a five-year lifecycle, with only a few parts that are perishable.

In a series of tests, the scalable system showed that it has the potential to generate between 450Wh – 850Wh per HGV (four to six axles) and 150Wh – 300Wh per car (weighing three tonnes).

Edmondson-Bennett added that there are three installation options for E:GEN, with two that involve roadworks and one that is roll on roll off, which can be placed on top of a road surface and locked in, which is ideal for disaster recovery or temporary placements.

“We pride ourselves that we are a social impact brand,” he said. “We’re not just there to create a technology, we're there to create a way of life and different understanding of how you can basically generate energy and how you can then embed that into society.”